Nucleic acid treatment of diseases or conditions related to levels of epidermal growth factor receptors

Abstract

The present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules, including antisense and enzymatic nucleic acid molecules, such as hammerhead ribozymes, DNAzymes, allozymes and antisense, which modulate the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor genes.

What we claim is:  
     
         1 . A double stranded short interfering RNA (siRNA) molecule that inhibits expression of an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene by RNA interference.  
     
     
         2 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the EGFR gene is HER1, HER2, HER3, or HER4.  
     
     
         3 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 2 , wherein the EGFR gene is HER1.  
     
     
         4 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 2 , wherein the EGFR gene is HER2.  
     
     
         5 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 2 , wherein the EGFR gene is HER3.  
     
     
         6 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 2 , wherein the EGFR gene is HER4.  
     
     
         7 . A double stranded siRNA molecule comprising a sequence complementary to a sequence having any of SEQ ID NOs: 1-214.  
     
     
         8 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the siRNA molecule comprises between 14 and 24 bases complementary to the RNA of the EGFR gene.  
     
     
         9 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1 , wherein the siRNA molecule is chemically synthesized.  
     
     
         10 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the two strands of said siRNA molecule comprises at least one 2′-sugar modification.  
     
     
         11 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the two strands of said siRNA molecule comprises at least one nucleic acid base modification.  
     
     
         12 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the two strands of said siRNA molecule comprises at least one phosphate backbone modification.  
     
     
         13 . An expression vector comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one siRNA molecule of  claim 1  in a manner that allows expression of the nucleic acid molecule.  
     
     
         14 . A composition comprising the siRNA molecule of  claim 1  and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or diluent.  
     
     
         15 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1  comprising sequence complementary to RNA sequence that is homologous to RNA encoded by any EGFR gene.  
     
     
         16 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1  comprising sequence complementary to RNA sequence that is homologous to RNA encoded by HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 genes.  
     
     
         17 . The siRNA molecule of  claim 1  comprising sequence complementary to RNA sequence that is homologous to RNA encoded by HER1 and HER2 genes.